Thursday, April 11, 2013

Ethos: Delicious but a limited variation when it comes to being vegan

I’m gung-ho about veganism
more and more each day. Though I don’t think I can possibly ever wean myself
off any dairy products completely (I love them), the concept of having more
vegetables in my diet in general is something that I have grown to embrace and
love. With this growing affection for meatless meals, I decided to try out
Ethos for the very first time.

Although they have
‘chickun’ (a vegan substitute for the real thing) on their menu, I steered
clear of that hocus-pocus. Rather, I chose meals that were overtly vegan or
very close to it. Here’s what I ordered: Pecan- encrusted Eggplant served with
asparagus, mashed potatoes and vegan gravy ($12.95), a Hippie Wrap with a side
of fresh fruit ($6.95), and a Peak Pomegranate Wheat Draft Beer ($3.50).

The pecan-encrusted
eggplant happens to be their signature dish- and it did not disappoint when it
came to uniqueness. Not mushy as you would expect eggplants to be, the pecans
imparted a crispy, dense coating a very thin slice of eggplant. However, for
eggplant lovers, I would not necessarily recommend this dish as it was nowhere
reminiscent texturally of eggplant. The red wine sauce was delicious and similar
to a berry reduction in consistency. A little more of the sweet sauce would
have rescued me easily from the relatively dry crust. I liked the vegan gravy
which was slightly salty but flavorful and muddled with complex notes of earthy
goodness. The asparagus, which was the vegetable-of-the-day for the dish, was sautéed
in very rich-flavored oil.

The Hippie Wrap was a huge
success. What was notable here is that the hummus was ground to such a fine,
creamy consistency that it almost doubled as a dressing or an aioli! The dish
was delightful from start to finish and was very finger-friendly. Lip-smacking
good with wonderfully varied vegetable textures bomb-blasting my mouth all at
once, I was beside myself. Sprouts, tomatoes, cucumbers, and that supreme
hummus spread made this spinach-tortilla wrap one for the books. Simple in its
structure and compactness, it is a revelation for anyone that may feign at the
idea that vegetables can be boring.

I don’t review beers
a lot, but Peak’s Pomegranate Wheat that they had available on draft was
excellent. As you can tell from the blog picture, I couldn't control myself long enough to take a picture of a full glass of it. Not too pomegranate-like in flavor, it was floral and smooth. On a hot
summer afternoon, this was a fine, cooling refreshment. For people that love
Blue Moon or Shock Top, give this organic ale a try.

Even though Ethos is on the
main thoroughfare of Fairbanks, it offers a surprisingly small selection of
vegan ingredients that have been spun into different dishes. It seems that Ethos
has pigeon-holed itself into a ‘comfort food’ cuisine niche rather than
offering far more healthier options that veganism can encompass- think amaranth,
lentils, or quinoa, for example. These ‘super-grains’ that are renowned to
offer what dieticians consider ‘whole-protein’ options that are plant-based rather
than what is typically found in meat. Curiously, Ethos does not offer them as
part of their daily menu. This is boggling because the cornerstone of any vegan
lifestyle is to supplement nutrient-packed meats with equally comparable
plant-derived choices.

IN A NUTSHELL: The experience
as a whole was delightfully satiating. The meal also didn't sit around in the
stomach like a lump of meat usually does (maybe all that fiber IS good for you after
all). I suspected plant-based shortening
was used in some of the dish preparations (especially the asparagus) which imparted
a lot of flavor, but also some unhealthy saturated fats. ETHOS CAN BE BETTER BY
OFFERING EVEN MORE NUTRITIOUS OPTIONS. However, it seems for now that they have
resigned to a fate of diner-like staples that have a vegan twist (mac-n-vegan-cheese,
vegan-cheese-calzones, etc.) which may be more appropriate for clients that are
just trying a vegan lifestyle for the first time. I recommend this venue for
first-timers or vegans that are taking their non-vegetarian friends out to
dinner.